Twila Shively
Encyclopedia
Twila Shively [″Twi″] was an outfielder
who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
. Listed at 5' 6", 128 lb., she batted and threw right handed.
Twila Shively spent five of her six years in the AAGPBL playing in the left field. A solid defensive player, she showed speed, good hands, an accurate throwing arm, and lived in a constant state of readiness. Routinely, she ranked among the top defensive outfielders in several categories, until a severe ankle injury limited her ability to perform, and had to switch to first base. Offensively, she made consistent contact, knew when to take the extra base
, and excelled as a basestealer
.
Born in Decatur, Illinois
, Twila Shively was the daughter of Glenn and Eva (née
Bryant) Shively. She began playing softball
at age eight and moved up in the softball ranks in Chicago as early as 1942. By then, she was featured in an article signed by Carl Guldager and published in the Chicago Daily News
with this headline: “She’s Hedy Lamarr
of Softball, Twila Shively Looks Like Model, Runs Bases Like Ty Cobb
. Has Baseball Savvy Plus Pretty Face”.
In 1944 Shively became a member of the Rockola Chicks team of the newly formed National Girls Baseball League. The NGBL was organized in Chicago to keep the best local players from migrating to the AAGPBL, which had been stabilized in 1943. After that, both circuits competed against each other to see who could associate itself with the biggest stars.
Shively entered the AAGPBL in 1945 with the Grand Rapids Chicks
, playing for them three years before joining the Chicago Colleens
(1948) and Peoria Redwings
(1948-1950). In her rookie year she formed part of a Chicks outfield that included Thelma Eisen
in the center field and Elizabeth Wicken
at right field. Shively collected a .196 batting average
and a .276 on-base percentage in 106 games, driving in
23 runs and scoring
42 times, while her 46 stolen bases ranked her fifth in the league. She also led all outfielders with a .968 fielding percentage
and finished second for the most putout
s (234) behind Fort Wayne Daisies
' Penny O'Brian
(236). During the regular season she achieved a career highlight, when she belted a two-out, walk-off
grand slam
to give her team the victory.
Her most productive season came in 1946, when she posted career numbers in average (.247), runs scored (78) hits
(101), runs batted in (45), steals (45) and games played (111). Considering the year was great for many pitcher
s her numbers were quite respectable. Four no-hitter
s were recorded by Anna Mae Hutchison
(Belles
), Betty Luna
(Blue Sox
), Carolyn Morris
(Peaches
) and Amy Irene Applegren (Lassies
), while Connie Wisniewski
(Chicks) and Dorothy Wiltse
(Daisies) topped the league in earned run average
with 0.81 and 0.83, respectively. As a result, more than half of the circuit's players averaged under .200. Dorothy Kamenshek
(Peaches) was the only hitter to reach the .300 mark (.316).
Following her baseball career, Shively graduated at Illinois State Normal
and Indiana University
and worked as a physical education
teacher at Washington High School
in South Bend, Indiana
. She also coached the school’s softball
and volleyball
teams to city championships, inspiring kids for almost 30 years.
Twila Shively died in Douglas, Michigan
on Thanksgiving Day, 1999 at the age of 79, after suffering four years of Alzheimer’s disease and a year-long fight with lung cancer
.
She is part of the AAGPBL permanent display at the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum at Cooperstown, New York
, unveiled in 1988, which is dedicated to the entire league rather than any individual personality.
Fielding
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was a women's professional baseball league founded by Philip K. Wrigley which existed from 1943 to 1954. During the league's history, over 600 women played ball.-History:...
. Listed at 5' 6", 128 lb., she batted and threw right handed.
Twila Shively spent five of her six years in the AAGPBL playing in the left field. A solid defensive player, she showed speed, good hands, an accurate throwing arm, and lived in a constant state of readiness. Routinely, she ranked among the top defensive outfielders in several categories, until a severe ankle injury limited her ability to perform, and had to switch to first base. Offensively, she made consistent contact, knew when to take the extra base
Extra base hit
In baseball, an extra base hit , also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire another base runner...
, and excelled as a basestealer
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
.
Born in Decatur, Illinois
Decatur, Illinois
Decatur is the largest city and the county seat of Macon County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The city, sometimes called "the Soybean Capital of the World", was founded in 1823 and is located along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in Central Illinois. In 2000 the city population was 81,500,...
, Twila Shively was the daughter of Glenn and Eva (née
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Bryant) Shively. She began playing softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
at age eight and moved up in the softball ranks in Chicago as early as 1942. By then, she was featured in an article signed by Carl Guldager and published in the Chicago Daily News
Chicago Daily News
The Chicago Daily News was an afternoon daily newspaper published between 1876 and 1978 in Chicago, Illinois.-History:The Daily News was founded by Melville E. Stone, Percy Meggy, and William Dougherty in 1875 and began publishing early the next year...
with this headline: “She’s Hedy Lamarr
Hedy Lamarr
Hedy Lamarr was an Austrian-American actress celebrated for her great beauty who was a major contract star of MGM's "Golden Age".Lamarr also co-invented – with composer George Antheil – an early technique for spread spectrum communications and frequency hopping, necessary to wireless...
of Softball, Twila Shively Looks Like Model, Runs Bases Like Ty Cobb
Ty Cobb
Tyrus Raymond "Ty" Cobb , nicknamed "The Georgia Peach," was an American Major League Baseball outfielder. He was born in Narrows, Georgia...
. Has Baseball Savvy Plus Pretty Face”.
In 1944 Shively became a member of the Rockola Chicks team of the newly formed National Girls Baseball League. The NGBL was organized in Chicago to keep the best local players from migrating to the AAGPBL, which had been stabilized in 1943. After that, both circuits competed against each other to see who could associate itself with the biggest stars.
Shively entered the AAGPBL in 1945 with the Grand Rapids Chicks
Grand Rapids Chicks
The Grand Rapids Chicks were a women's professional baseball team based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League from 1945 to 1954, winning championships in 1947 and 1953....
, playing for them three years before joining the Chicago Colleens
Chicago Colleens
The Chicago Colleens were a women's professional baseball team who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. The team represented Chicago, Illinois and played their home games at Shewbridge Field....
(1948) and Peoria Redwings
Peoria Redwings
The Peoria Redwings were a women's professional baseball team who joined the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in the season. The team represented Peoria, Illinois....
(1948-1950). In her rookie year she formed part of a Chicks outfield that included Thelma Eisen
Thelma Eisen
Thelma Eisen [Tiby] is a former outfielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 4", 130 lb., she batted and threw right-handed....
in the center field and Elizabeth Wicken
Elizabeth Wicken
Elizabeth Ann Wicken [nee Berthiaume] was a Canadian outfielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 2", 115 lb., Wicken batted and threw left handed....
at right field. Shively collected a .196 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
and a .276 on-base percentage in 106 games, driving in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
23 runs and scoring
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
42 times, while her 46 stolen bases ranked her fifth in the league. She also led all outfielders with a .968 fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
and finished second for the most putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s (234) behind Fort Wayne Daisies
Fort Wayne Daisies
The Fort Wayne Daisies were a women's professional baseball team that played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League...
' Penny O'Brian
Penny O'Brian
Penny O'Brian [Cooke] was an outfielder who played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League during the season...
(236). During the regular season she achieved a career highlight, when she belted a two-out, walk-off
Walk-off home run
In baseball, a walk-off home run is a home run that ends the game. It must be a home run that gives the home team the lead in the bottom of the final inning of the game—either the ninth inning, or any extra inning, or any other regularly scheduled final inning...
grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
to give her team the victory.
Her most productive season came in 1946, when she posted career numbers in average (.247), runs scored (78) hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
(101), runs batted in (45), steals (45) and games played (111). Considering the year was great for many pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
s her numbers were quite respectable. Four no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
s were recorded by Anna Mae Hutchison
Anna Mae Hutchison
Anna Mae Hutchison [Hutch] was a female pitcher and catcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 7", 149 lb., she batted and threw right-handed...
(Belles
Racine Belles
The Racine Belles were one of the original teams of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League playing from through out of Racine, Wisconsin. The team played its home games at Horlick Field.-History:...
), Betty Luna
Betty Luna
Betty Luna [Hill] a pitcher and outfielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 5", 133 lb., she batted and threw right handed....
(Blue Sox
South Bend Blue Sox
The South Bend Blue Sox were a women's professional baseball team who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League...
), Carolyn Morris
Carolyn Morris
Carolyn E. Morris was a female pitcher who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at 5' 7", 157 lb., Morris batted and threw right handed...
(Peaches
Rockford Peaches
The Rockford Peaches were a team in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League playing out of Rockford, Illinois for the entire existence of the league from 1943 to 1954....
) and Amy Irene Applegren (Lassies
Muskegon Lassies
The Muskegon Lassies were one of the expansion teams of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League in , representing Muskegon, Michigan. The team played their home games at Marsh Field....
), while Connie Wisniewski
Connie Wisniewski
Constance Wisniewski was a starting pitcher and outfielder who played from through in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League...
(Chicks) and Dorothy Wiltse
Dottie Wiltse Collins
Dorothy Wiltse Collins [Dottie] was an American pitcher in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which was in existence from 1943–54....
(Daisies) topped the league in earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
with 0.81 and 0.83, respectively. As a result, more than half of the circuit's players averaged under .200. Dorothy Kamenshek
Dorothy Kamenshek
Dorothy "Dottie" Kamenshek was an All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player. She batted and threw left-handed....
(Peaches) was the only hitter to reach the .300 mark (.316).
Following her baseball career, Shively graduated at Illinois State Normal
Illinois State University
Illinois State University , founded in 1857, is the oldest public university in Illinois; it is located in the town of Normal. ISU is considered a "national university" that grants a variety of doctoral degrees and strongly emphasizes research; it is also recognized as one of the top ten largest...
and Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
and worked as a physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
teacher at Washington High School
Washington High School (South Bend, Indiana)
Washington High School is a public high school located at 4747 W. Washington on the West Side of South Bend, Indiana. It is part of the SBCSC magnet program, where it is the Medical/Allied Health Magnet Program.-History:...
in South Bend, Indiana
South Bend, Indiana
The city of South Bend is the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total of 101,168 residents; its Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 316,663...
. She also coached the school’s softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
and volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
teams to city championships, inspiring kids for almost 30 years.
Twila Shively died in Douglas, Michigan
Douglas, Michigan
Douglas is a city in Allegan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,214 at the 2000 census...
on Thanksgiving Day, 1999 at the age of 79, after suffering four years of Alzheimer’s disease and a year-long fight with lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
.
She is part of the AAGPBL permanent display at the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum at Cooperstown, New York
Cooperstown, New York
Cooperstown is a village in Otsego County, New York, USA. It is located in the Town of Otsego. The population was estimated to be 1,852 at the 2010 census.The Village of Cooperstown is the county seat of Otsego County, New York...
, unveiled in 1988, which is dedicated to the entire league rather than any individual personality.
Career statistics
Batting| GP Games played Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,... | AB At bat In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance... | R Run (baseball) In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured... | H Hit (baseball) In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice.... | 2B Double (baseball) In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice.... | 3B Triple (baseball) In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice.... | HR Home run In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process... | RBI Run batted in Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI... | SB Stolen base In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate... | BB Base on balls A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08... | TB Total bases In baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i.e., the sum of his hits weighted by 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run.Only bases attained from hits count toward this total.... | SO Strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters.... | BA Batting average Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :... | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 614 | 2141 | 274 | 429 | 42 | 20 | 4 | 166 | 255 | 523 | 291 | 322 | .200 | .296 | .244 |
Fielding
| GP Games played Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,... | PO | A Assist (baseball) In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional... | E Error (baseball) In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ... | TC Total chances In baseball statistics, total chances , also called chances offered, represents the number of plays in which a defensive player has participated. It is calculated as follows: Total Chances = assists + putouts + errors. Chances accepted refers to the total of putouts and assists only. Fielding... | DP Double play In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two".... | FA Fielding percentage In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball... |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 611 | 2028 | 102 | 67 | 2197 | 38 | .970 |